Christmas Joy
by No Longer Available Goodbye
Summary: One-shot.  Shadow was always been like a clone of Scrooge when it comes to Christmas.  But what if there is a reason for joy this time of year?  Part of my Advent one-shot series.


_Christmas Joy_

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A/N: Skyblue Half-Demon here! Christmas Joy is part of my **Advent one-shot series** which will (hopefully) be completely released by Christmas Day. Advent is the season of waiting Christians like me go through starting the four Sundays before Christmas. We are anticipating the birth of Jesus Christ. It'd be more correct to release one story each Sunday, but it's kind of late for that now.

Traditionally, the Candle of Joy is lit third, so this will be the third one-shot I release. Please keep your eye out for more! I released Christmas Love yesterday and Christmas Hope the day before that, which you can find by clicking on my profile.

Even if you're not Christian and you don't celebrate Christmas, you may find something a little inspiring about this story. Please read and review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any aspects of it. I do not make any money off my stories.**

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I'm sure you've all heard of A Christmas Carol by… Charles Chickens? No, it's Charles Dickens. My bad. Anyway, I'm fairly certain you're also familiar with Scrooge. You know, he's the guy who hates Christmas. And then he learns his lesson through the three Christmas spirits and blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, if you ever need an actor to play Scrooge in a show or something, call me. 'Cause I'm not even going to have to act.

I hate Christmas. I loathe Christmas. I despise Christmas.

And everyone knows it. They know it so well, that you don't even need to worry about the show I'll someday play Scrooge in. They're going to call me Scrooge anyway.

Take this morning for example:

Mr. Big-shot, a.k.a. Sonic the Hedgehog comes down the stairs of the humongous house we live in at six in the morning. Not only does he know that I sleep past six, he also knows my bedroom is downstairs. I swear he loves torturing me. So of course he was to make this HUGE racket by taunting that kid Miles "Tails" with a gigantic present, proclaiming that he can't have it until Christmas morning. And Tails, like the kid he is, starts to whine, as if Sonic wasn't annoying enough. So then I politely ask them (okay, I screamed at them but still) to go upstairs and talk about their Christmas crud more quietly.

But my opinion never matters around here so Sonic just rolls his eyes and says, "Geez, Shadow, you're such a Scrooge." And of course they both go back to the stupid tease/baby whine routine, thus forcing me to get up for the day.

What I wouldn't give a hammer and Sonic chained to the wall.

Of course, I know what 99.9 percent of you are thinking right now: Why would anyone hate Christmas? It's so lovable, fun, happy…

Well, let me stop you right there. Because you've just named about all of the reasons I loathe Christmas.

For starters, I don't love. I pretty sure it's an emotion I'm just not compatible with. It was got to be genetically impossible for me to love, so say good-bye to the idea of Christmas being loveable.

Christmas is fun? Give me a break. All I ever hear about is how stressful the holidays get to be. Wrapping, packing, baking, cooking, and every business party you can imagine. Oh boy, that sounds like a ton of fun. So much fun I just might puke.

And as for Christmas being joyful? Well, take one good look at me during the Christmas season. Now tell me Christmas is joyful.

Impossible?

That's what I thought.

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(Third Person POV)

Shadow lay back on the back on the couch and put his feet on the coffee table. Slowly, he closed his eyes. _Now one's around trying to spread their "Christmas joy" now, _he thought. _Maybe I should try to get some shut eye…_

"Shadow, guess what?" Cream the Rabbit cried.

"I always speak too soon," Shadow muttered under his breath with a sigh.

"Do you want to want to come to the Christmas Eve service at the church tonight?" she asked cheerfully.

Shadow sighed. If there was anyone who could get to him, it was Cream. He hated how her sparkling, adorable brown eyes turned sad whenever she didn't get what she wanted. But then again, everyone did.

Naturally, though she was sweet, she also the most spoiled kid you'll ever meet.

"I'll think about," Shadow responded, deciding that was the safest answer.

"Okay," Cream said, making no effort at all to hide her disappointment. "It's just that… I thought…"

"FINE!" Shadow groaned. He didn't want to put with any little kids whining their butts off. "I'll go!"

"Yay!" Cream squealed while jumping up and down and clapping her hands. "It starts at seven! Don't be late!"

"I can hardly wait," Shadow mumbled with his voice coated in the heaviest sarcasm he could manage. "Another Christmas festivity to be forced in too. Whoop whoop."

"Oh, come one Shadow," Cream moaned. "It'll be loads of fun."

"I'm sure it will be," Shadow muttered, rolling his eyes.

Cream giggled and then skipped out of the room.

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(First Person POV)

Well, here I am, at church, at the Christmas Eve service.

I didn't want to come here for other reasons than just the fact I hate Christmas. I just don't like churches. See, as you may or may not know I didn't exactly live by the Ten Commandments. I stole, I murdered, and, at the time, I didn't even regret any of it. Sure, I've changed a lot since then. I control myself better, and I honestly try to be "good". But whenever I walk past a church, I always get this feeling God is going to strike me with lighting or something. It's not a very comforting feeling.

Trust me.

As I entered the church building I cringed a little but there wasn't any lighting, so that was good.

I think.

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(Third person)

Shadow sat in the back of the sanctuary with Cream and Sonic who had a bored look on his face. He had his feet up on the pew bench in front of him. Shadow couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed at Sonic's lack of respect. Sure, Shadow wasn't extremely polite or even polite at all, but this seemed to be way too much for Shadow. He really had no idea why it irked him so much.

Maybe it was because Maria had been Christian.

The service began. Shadow expected it to be all about why Christmas was such a great time of year and why it should be celebrated. Just the usual sappy stuff he heard around the house every year.

But it wasn't like that at all.

The minster began with a story no one seemed to pay much attention to but Shadow, probably because he was the only one who'd never heard it before. It had taken place over 2,000 years ago. There was a virgin named Mary who had been pledged to marry a man named Joseph. Before she and Joseph were wed, an angle of the Lord came to Mary and told her she was to give birth to the Lord's own son. Mary did not understand how this was to be, but she trusted the Lord to guide her through.

Then, there was a census, so Joseph and Mary went to the city of David, Bethlehem. It was there Jesus Christ was born so that one day he would die so we could be saved and have a chance at heaven. This way, God would forgive all of our sins if we turned to him.

"All of our sins," the minster repeated, and Shadow could have sworn the minster looked right at him.

Shadow didn't listen too much else of the sermon because he was still trying to wrap his mind around what he had just been told. Jesus Christ had died for him. For everyone. And now God would forgive him, no matter what. _As long as I turn to Him,_ Shadow thought.

_Maybe there was a reason to be joyful this Christmas after all._

_

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Rejoice, Rejoice_

_Emanuel_

_Will come for three  
_

_Oh, Israel _

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A/N: What do you think? I know there are quite a few Christian messages in here, but I still find it inspiring.

My next Advent piece will be called Christmas Peace. If I stick to my original plan, it will be Harry Potter themed. Just check my profile and it will (hopefully) be up by tomorrow.

Please give me the Christmas present of reviews!

Merry Christmas!


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